Black and Red
by Sweet Danish Yummy
Summary: AU Sakuragi is a vampire in love with Rukawa. Written a very long time ago. [Sakuragi x Rukawa]
1. Default Chapter

Black and Red  
A Fic Dedicated to Ming  
Part One  
By Tsuki  
  
Rukawa stumbled through the streets, a bottle in one hand, his face flushed as the harsh, cold   
wind beat against it. The sky was dark, foreboding, and a fog had settled over the streets, making   
visibility poor. But Rukawa didn't care. The atmosphere matched his mood perfectly. He stumbled   
and fell to his knees, grunting as pain shot through him. He took a swing from the bottle,   
cherishing the burning warmth that it provided as it slid down his throat and touched home in his   
belly. Ah. The only warmth in his life. He got up and continued down the street, not really sure   
where he was going, and knowing that he didn't really care. He would go wherever his feet took   
him and find some way to survive. Right now, the only thing he needed was his bottle and a street   
to walk down.   
  
It took his mind a few moments to process the fact that he had no clue where he was. He had   
never ventured into this part of town, had known better, would still know better, if he were sober.   
But the whiskey was not only warming him, it was also clouding his judgment. He stopped and   
tried to think of how many bottles he had consumed. No more than two. After all, Rukawa Kaede   
was no drunk. He hiccuped. Then again, maybe he had had more than two. He shrugged and   
continued down the street, trying to walk a in a straight line. He looked down at the line painted   
on the road to tell drivers where their lane ended and the next began. He put one foot on it, then   
another in front of it, walking slowly with his arms stretched out to the sides, teetering back and   
forth. He hiccuped again and took a swig, stumbling off the line and onto the curb. He fell down   
and laughed.   
  
He stopped short and giggled again. When was the last time he'd laugh? Come to think of it,   
when was the last time he expressed any emotion? He giggled and fell back onto his elbows,   
hand still wrapped protectively around the neck of the bottle. Gee, why was he so vacant? Was   
that the right word? More like stony. He nodded.   
  
"Yea, I'm a real tight ass." He said aloud, and marveled at the sound of his voice. There was   
something to be said about remaining silent all the time. After a while, you begin to forget what   
you sound like.  
  
"Not to mention your breath begins to stink." Rukawa giggled again, not really knowing whether or   
not that was true but liking the way it sounded. Especially the word "stink".   
  
"Well, let's get this stinkin' stage coach rollin'." He slurred, pushing himself up and stumbling   
forward. He fell forward, tripping over his own two feet, which had never seemed so big and   
intrusive before. He sat up slightly and propped his head up with one hand, craning his neck   
around to stare at his feet, which seemed very far away. He wiggled one to make sure they were   
really his. When the action ran through his foot, he shrugged and pushed himself up.   
  
"Oi. Not as spry as I was when I was sober." He hiccuped and looked at the bottle, noting it was   
empty. "Damn. Time to raid gram pappy's medicine cabinet." It came out sounding like, "Tim to   
rid grim peppy's med-i-cine cab-e-nit." He licked his lips and seemed to notice for the first time the   
way the wind bit through his lightweight jacket and shirt. He shivered and wished for the warmth   
of the whiskey. Hell, for a moment he thought he would even enjoy the warmth of his apartment.  
  
He shook his head. *No*, he thought, *she might be there.* She being the one person in the   
position to hurt him. And she had, of course. Rukawa sneered as he continued his never-ending   
walk. He should have known. Humans were all alike. They were kind when they wanted, but the   
second something came along that would possibly make their lives better, they went to any   
lengths to have it...including hurting those people that they supposedly loved. He rolled ice-blue   
eyes, feeling the same old pain pierce through his chest. The real kicker was that he had actually   
cared about this girl, deeply. Or so he thought. The truth was that he had fallen for a girl that   
didn't exist. The girl he loved had turned out to be a mask that hid the selfish shell that turned out   
to be his girlfriend. Scratch that, his now *ex*-girlfriend.   
  
Rukawa stopped at the sight of a lit window. A neon sign hung in the window, declaring that the   
pub was indeed open. Rukawa headed towards it, ignoring the cold that seeped into his bones   
and made him ache. All he could think about was warmth, the kind provided by a bottle. His mind   
strayed and began to wonder if he was becoming a drunk, but he ignored it, determined to drink   
until the pain was no longer there.   
  
He threw open the door and stumbled inside, quickly shutting it.  
  
The patrons turned and looked at him. Some looked as if they had never seen another person in   
their life. Others gave him an almost predatorial look. He swallowed, his tongue feeling thick, his   
head suddenly pounding.   
  
Ignoring their looks, he walked to the bar and sat down. Their gazes never wavered. The bar   
tenant looked at him with an arched eyebrow. Rukawa made eye contact and quietly gasped.   
  
The man was stunning, true. His physique was incredible. Muscles rippled under his skin that   
Rukawa thought might break free of their imprisonment at any moment. He was tall, his hair   
shaggy and falling across his forehead, into his eyes.   
  
His eyes were what Rukawa couldn't believe; a stunning brown-silver blend that was unmatched   
by anything he had ever seen. As if someone had taken the dirt from the earth and thrown it up in   
a starlit sky, the stars mixing themselves into the grains of brown earth.   
  
His gaze wandered to his mouth and he nearly threw up. His canine teeth poked through his lips,   
and they were covered with a thick red substance.   
  
*That ain't ketchup...* The only remaining working part of his brain thought.   
  
He voice was working without him. "Whiskey." He found himself saying quietly, his gaze fixed on   
the bar attendants teeth.   
  
"Whiskey?" He burst out laughing, and Rukawa saw that all of his teeth were stained red. The bar   
tender stopped laughing and his voice came out a growl. "We ain't got none o' dat 'ere."   
  
Rukawa felt confusion sweep through him, but mostly it was panic. Panic at the way the bar   
tender was looking at him. He turned around and noticed that most of the people in there were   
giving him that same hungry gaze.  
  
"You know, it ain't often dat fresh meat come in 'ere off da street like dat." He grinned. "You   
makin' it mighty easy for us."  
  
Rukawa gulped and felt an overwhelming urge to run wash through him. His only fear was that if   
he tried to run in his drunken state that he might run into a wall in the process.   
  
"What you boys say? Should we show 'im what we serve in 'ere?"   
  
A chorus of affirmatives rose up as the patrons began to move forward, surging up from their   
chairs. Rukawa turned to the side and was about to run when many hands began to grab his   
arms. He kicked and punched like crazy, wishing that he had taken his mother up on those self-  
defense classes.   
  
He doubt they would have helped much, considering these guys were strong. One of them picked   
him up off the floor as if he were nothing and threw him on the table. He felt something sharp   
come in contact with his head, followed by a warm feeling on the back of his neck. He was   
bleeding.  
  
One of the girls came forward and grabbed him by the forearms, bending him over and running   
her tongue along his neck, making a noise akin to a purr. "Mmmm..."  
  
Rukawa nearly threw up as he realized that she was licking up his blood. He became tense as   
they crowded around him.  
  
"You picked da wrong place ta stumble inta, kid." The bar tender said, smiling savagely as he   
wiped a glass clean. "Tough break."  
  
The...things...surged in toward him, all with the same colored eyes, brown-silver, all with the   
same look, a predatorial hunger, coming towards him, holding him down, ripping off his shirt and   
pulling at his hair to tilt his head, exposing his neck. He felt his stomach churn as they surrounded   
him, sharp teeth filling his vision. He squeezed his eyes shut and waited.  
  
...And waited. He heard a thump, followed by many more in rapid session, each one followed by a   
growl and a muttered curse.   
  
"Dammit, Sakuragi, what the Hell are you doing?" One voice, a high, screechy female one,   
growled. Rukawa opened his eyes and sat up, noticing that all the patrons were leaning against   
the wall, groaning and growling.   
  
One boy...man...was standing in the middle of the room, his eyes the same as their's, but with no   
sharp, forbodding teeth in sight. He glared at the room collectively, his coppery eyebrows pulled   
down low over his eyes. His hair was the color of a pyre, and Rukawa felt his heart jump.  
  
Of course, it could have been his stomach churning, but Rukawa was in no state to tell the   
difference. He felt a pain shoot through his chest as he sat up. He looked down and saw   
scratches in no particular pattern all down his chest, his shirt and jacket in shreds.  
  
"What's makes you think this kid ain't someone important?" The one that the girl addressed as   
Sakuragi asked, pointing smoothly to Rukawa. "You want a bunch of people looking for him?   
They're eventually going to find his body, and, oh look, autopsy reports find that the blood has   
been sucked from his body." His hands flew to his cheeks in mock drama. "And suddenly, people   
get suspicious." He glared again. "And you all know as well as I that suspicious people are   
dangerous. Especially when they get together and start talking. Especially when they're   
superstitious."  
  
"Stay outta this, inbreed."  
  
Sakuragi turned his head sharply, and the person that had spoken, a big, burly man, flew up into   
the air, suspended between floor and ceiling by some unseen force. Sakuragi tipped his head to   
one side in a quick motion, and the man went flying towards the wall, slamming into it with such a   
force that the walls shook.   
  
"Anyone else have any choice names to call me?" He roared, his face turning a slight shade of   
red. A mumbled reply went through the bar as people began to stand up and brush themselves   
off. "Thought not."  
  
"So, Sakuragi, if we can't drain him, we just let him go? Free to run around the streets and tell   
others about us?"  
  
Sakuragi glared at the girl that spoke and she backed away. "You leave him to me. The rest of   
you, if you want a drink, get one at the bar." With those words spoken, he stripped off his jacket   
and walked to Rukawa.  
  
Rukawa felt a presence in his mind as Sakuragi looked at him.   
  
*You are relaxing now. No one will hurt you, I promise. Sleep. Sleep. This is all a dream, and   
when you wake up, you won't remember a thing.*  
  
Rukawa's eye felt heavy. As he closed them, he felt Sakuragi's arms around him, wrapping him   
up in his jacket and carrying him. Where to, he didn't care. All he knew was that he suddenly was   
too tired to think. Too tired to do anything but sleep. And think about the soothing voice that   
continued to speak to him through his dreams.   
  
TBC  
  
  
  
  



	2. Chapter Two

Black and Red  
A Fic Dedicated to Ming  
Part Two  
By Tsuki  
  
Rukawa blinked and rubbed his eyes, the sunlight beating harshly onto them. Pinpoints of pain   
covered every inch of his head, and his chest and back felt as if cuts covered them. He sat up   
slowly and waited for his head to clear, then opened his fresh pajama top and looked down.  
  
Well, perhaps the reason he felt as if there were cuts all over his chest was because there   
*were*. He ran a finger gently over one of them, which ran from the base of his shoulder down to   
his belly button. He flinched. Even that minor contact ached. He got up, pulling the shirt off   
completely, and walked to the attached bathroom. Kaede looked in the drawers of the bathroom   
and found the pain ointment, applying it readily to his chest before giving up and tossing it   
haphazardlessly onto the sink. Walking slowly back into his room, he flopped down onto his bed,   
immediately regretting the action as a jolt of pain raced through him. He groaned and got up,   
looking around his room.   
  
Damn, he didn't remember coming in last night. Come to think of it, he couldn't remember   
*anything* that had happened last night. He placed a hand to his head, as if that would help him   
remember, and struggled to get his mind to work.  
  
"OK..." He mumbled, "I remember leaving the house last night in a huff and going to the liquor   
store. I was upset because-"  
  
"Morning, lover!" A singsong voice broke in as a beautiful girl sailed into the room, leaving a trail   
of heavy perfume behind her. Rukawa flinched as his head pounded due to the strong scent. He   
had never liked the smell of that perfume. "Good, I see that you're awake." She smiled and   
walked past him, fusing with his bed covers and pillows. Rukawa watched silently and stony,   
glaring at her back.  
  
Come to think of it, why *was* he going out with her? Rukawa felt his head pound again and he   
decided to get some aspirin, if for no reason other than to get away from that smell. He turned   
around silently and left the room, heading for the kitchen. He searched in a cabinet, throwing out   
all the damn pills and multivitamins that Kiko insisted on keeping around, even though they had   
*never* consummated their relationship, and even though she *never* took any of those   
multivitamins. He had nearly completely emptied the cupboard when he found the Advil, and then   
nearly had a fit trying to get the childproof cap off.  
  
"Fucking bottle." He muttered, slamming the entire thing onto the counter and feeling the shock of   
the impact in his hand. The lid remained tightly on the bottle.   
  
"Kaede." She appeared behind him suddenly, her voice taking on a reproaching tone. "Now,   
kiobito, I am not your mother, so why do you insist on making me pick up after you like I am?"   
She sighed dramatically as she looked first at him, then at the bottle on the counter. "Kaede-kun-"  
  
"Don't call me that." He growled, hating the way his name sounded when she used it as an   
endearment. Her voice was so damn high. What was she, a canary?  
  
"Kiobito, here, I'll get that." She reached for the bottle but he moved away, the thing still clutched   
in his hand.  
  
"I can take care of it myself." He muttered again, finally lining up the two small arrows and   
popping the lid off.   
  
She sighed again and reached for him. "You know, aspirin is really bad for your kidneys."  
  
He glared and swallowed two of them, hoping they took effect before he scratched that mask-like   
layer of make-up off her face. "Leave me alone."  
  
"Kaede-kun, you can't *still* be mad about last night."  
  
Rukawa paused in putting the lid back on as her words sank in. They hit something inside him   
and he could suddenly remember *why* he had stormed out of the apartment last night.   
  
"Yes, I can." He glared, slamming the aspirin bottle back in the cabinet and shutting it, leaning   
against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest.   
  
"Honey, he didn't mean anything to me." She placed her hands on his chest, and he looked down   
at her blood red nails. God, they were *way* too long. Was there anything about this girl he liked?  
  
"Didn't look that way when I walked in."  
  
"Look, *you* were supposed to be at work until ten! You weren't even supposed to be home for   
another three hours! What the Hell were you doing home so early?" As quick as a snake she   
switched from sweet as sugar to supreme bitch mode. Girls were good at that, and Rukawa found   
that one of the most annoying things about them.   
  
"Don't change the subject, Kiko."   
  
"I'm not! I want to know why you just happened to get off work early that particular night?"  
  
"Are you mad?" Rukawa was incredulous. "Are you mad?"  
  
She huffed and pouted, arms crossed over her chest.   
  
"Oh my God! *You're* mad that I came home early and screwed up your screwing, right?" He   
threw his hands up in the air and walked away.  
  
"Don't you dare walk away from me, Rukawa Kaede."  
  
"No, look. Listen to me for just one minute." He turned around, and something in his face must   
have surprised her, because she suddenly backed off. "You never once cherished our   
relationship. And maybe *my* celibacy was too much for you and I drove you into the arms of   
another man, but there's something disturbing about coming home from work early in order to   
pamper your girlfriend only to find that she is FUCKING ANOTHER MAN IN YOUR BED!" He   
glared harshly. "You probably don't understand, since the only thing you are is vacant, superficial,   
and have no sense of what it means to love another person with all your heart." He sighed and   
walked to her bedroom, pulling a suitcase from her closet and beginning to stuff clothes and   
ridiculous amounts of shoes into it.  
  
"What are you doing?" She was standing in the doorway, hands on her hips, biting her lower lip.   
  
"I want you outta here. Today. I don't care where you go, just get out of my apartment. Get out of   
my life." He finished with that suitcase, zipped it, and threw in on the floor. He looked around the   
room for another. "Where's your other suitcase, Kiko?"  
  
She glared, then her expression softened. "Kiobito-"  
  
"*Don't* call me that."  
  
"Kaede-kun-"  
  
"My name is RUKAWA!"   
  
She looked stunned, as if no one had ever raised their voice to her. "But, Rukawa...I-I love you."  
  
"No you don't." He hung his head and sighed. "No, you love that I pay your rent. You love that I   
take care of you." He looked up and acquired his usual stony expression. "But never me."   
  
"Where am I going to go?" She threw up her hands, her expression stunned.   
  
"I don't know. Why not to *his* house?" Rukawa walked away and into his bedroom, needing to   
get out and away from her.   
  
"Please, Rukawa, don't do this..." She followed him, watching as he changed clothes, into a pair   
of jeans and a sweater.   
  
"I'm going. I'll be back at five." He checked his watch. "That give you plenty of time to pack and   
leave. Don't be here when I get back. And...just leave me alone." He turned and left, walking   
down the hall to the front door. Her voice made it to his ears as he slammed the door.  
  
"Does this mean we're breaking up?"   
  
  
  
Sakuragi paced around his room, his mind drifting from the music playing in the background. He   
couldn't seem to focus himself today. Hell, he couldn't even levitate the coffee cup over to him,   
resulting in, for once, having to do the house work by *hand*. He forgot how tenuous it was. And   
now he was finally finished cleaning, and was trying to think of something to do with himself. He   
didn't feel like going to the pub. The truth was, he didn't go there all that often. Last night was just   
coincidence.  
  
A *good* coincidence. He shook his head as he began thinking of that boy again. True, it was   
stupid of him to just walk into the pub, but he didn't know better, and was obviously under the   
influence of some kind of human drink. He didn't look all that happy, either.  
  
Sakuragi smiled slightly, brushing a hand through his soft, coppery hair. Then again, if *he* met   
up with super natural beings that were all-too willing to suck his life away, well, he probably   
wouldn't be happy either.  
  
Still, no matter how hard he tried...he couldn't seem to push the images of the graceful, compact   
boy out of his mind. He was so light, easy to carry, and it had felt like he belonged in Sakuragi's   
arms. His eyes were so different from the others...such a clear, icy blue. He tried to think of   
something worthy enough to be compared to such eyes-  
  
He shook his head viciously, trying to chase away the thoughts. It was ridiculous! He was a   
human, and he...well, it was impossible. The "laws" of his "people" wouldn't allow them to be   
together...  
  
He smacked his forehead. He had never thought of himself as gay, had never really looked at   
other guys. But, then again...he paused and thought for a moment. Did he ever really look at   
*girls*? There was that one girl, the one with the pretty brown, shoulder-length hair, but she didn't   
know he existed and had long since given up on her. And besides, this boy...there was something   
about him.  
  
Maybe it was the feeling that they were *supposed* to be together. He wanted to know more   
about him, wanted to know why he was so drunk, and how he ended up so far from his home that   
Sakuragi had taken him to. He had had to run a mind probe on him to learn his address, and had   
taken him there, doing the classic ringing-the-bell-and-running thing. He saw the girl answer the   
door and take him in, and though his mind probe had only been designed to learn who the boy   
was and where he lived, he had learned that Rukawa Kaede had a girlfriend.  
  
Sakuragi gave up on trying to rid his thoughts of Rukawa and grabbed his jacket, deciding to go   
out tonight. To a human club, he decided. Unlike his "people," he could easily fit into the human   
world, since he didn't crave blood, like them.   
  
*Who knows...* He thought. *Maybe Rukawa will be there.* He chuckled to himself at the   
impossibility of the idea and shut the door behind him.   
  
TBC  
  
  
  



	3. Chapter Three

Black and Red  
A Fic Dedicated to Ming  
Part Three  
By Tsuki  
  
The music pounded through the speakers as bodies crushed onto a dance floor that was almost   
too small struggled to make enough room to move. The noise was close to being deafening as   
people at the bar struggled to carry on conversations. They were in no danger from the dancers;   
the bar was elevated above and around the dance floor, creating a sort of second floor with the   
middle missing, replaced only by air and displaying the dance floor. The bar wrapped around and   
covered three of the four walls. The final wall was were the DJ was, and where you went to   
request music. It was separated from the bar on either side by a "bridge" that connected the two.   
There was no way to get to the DJ booth from the lower level; you had to use one of the steps   
leading up to the upper level, and then go across the bridge. Annoying, yes, but not many people   
on the dance floor cared. They were content to dance.  
  
Rukawa held the small shot glass in his hand, his first and only drink, just staring at the brownish   
colored liquid. For some reason he didn't want a drink; he more or less just wanted something to   
hold in his hand. He was trying to remember what happened last night. It bothered him that he   
couldn't remember, because he normally had such an extraordinary memory.   
  
*Maybe if I stop trying to remember, I will.* He thought, moving his hand at the wrist in a rotating   
motion, spinning the liquid around in the glass. *OK, let's try and think of something else...* He   
put the glass down and looked around the bar, suddenly slightly interested in who all was here.   
Which was more interest than he had for his drink.   
  
His icy eyes scanned over the mass of moving bodies, taking in the different types of people,   
from the ones wearing skimpy leather, to the ones wearing casual flannel, to the others that   
looked like they couldn't breath in their tight clothes. Rukawa shook his head and looked down at   
his clothes briefly; a dark blue sweater that he was told brought out the clearness in his eyes, to   
his semi-loose jeans, down to his sneakers. Shrugging, he looked up again and caught a flash of   
copper-colored hair.  
  
In a flash something came to him; a blurry image of a red-haired boy standing in the middle of a   
room that looked like a pub, a glare marring handsome features, looking around the room at the   
people lining the walls.   
  
As Rukawa blinked and tried to focus on the other people to get a clue as to what was happening   
or where he was, it was gone. He was left only with the image of that red-haired man, and the   
glare focused on an unseen group, in a pub that a second ago he didn't know existed.   
  
Rukawa sighed and stood up, abandoning his drink and contemplating the idea of dancing. By   
himself, though? What the Hell, he'd always been a loner. All through middle and high school   
he'd done things on his own. The only thing he was willing to do with a group was play basketball,   
and whenever given the chance to play one-on-one, he took it. He liked the self-reliance feeling   
he got; he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself.   
  
Maybe that was one of the things that bothered him about Kiko. She was always so determined to   
do *everything* for him. And while it was nice to have someone else do the dishes or clean, for   
once, it was annoying to have a person follow you around day and night and insist that you   
almost never lift a finger. At one point he had the feeling that if she could, she would have done   
his job for him.  
  
And, there was still that fact that she had cheated on him. Probably not only that one time, either.   
That was just the time he had discovered it, though looking back on it now, there were subtle   
clues to her behavior. When they had started going out, she was a sweet person, true. She acted   
like such a good girl. But about a month after they had started going out together, she had offered   
to sleep with him, which he had refused. He treasured his virginity, and wasn't willing to give it up   
to anyone except his future lifemate. Maybe that was going to be her, he had explained, but if so   
then she could wait until they married. She had buckled under this, but a few weeks later she   
offered again. And again. And again. He remembered thinking her a slut, and apparently he was   
right.   
  
Rukawa shook all thoughts out of his head and walked down the steep steps, making room for a   
couple of multi-pierced, leather dressed girls to get by, marveling at how they managed to make it   
up the stairs in those ridiculously high heels. He rolled his eyes and found a discreet spot on the   
dance floor, not really caring if people stared. He began moving gracefully to the music, those   
years of basketball contributing somewhat to his easy movements, he supposed.   
  
He had been moving gracefully (he didn't believe he was capable of actually dancing) for about   
an hour when something caught his eye.  
  
A girl, stunningly beautiful, with soft blonde hair that cascaded down to her shoulders and warm   
blue eyes, was standing in the corner of the room, surrounded by three guys. She was dressed   
casually in a pair of blue jeans and a button down shirt.   
  
Of course, Rukawa didn't really notice her. Or the two incredibly familiar guys with her. No, what   
he noticed was the other guy. The one that stood out like a star against a velvet black sky. The   
one with the coppery red hair. The one with the brown-silver eyes.  
  
He stopped moving as something came back to him, a dim image that gradually became clearer   
as he stood there, like someone lighting a match and extending it out into a pitch black cavern.   
  
He was drunk, and stumbling down a street he had never seen before. He couldn't make out any   
specific details; ahead, he saw a neon light, a sign he couldn't quite make out. He stumbled into a   
place that looked to be a pub. He sits, and looks at the bartender.  
  
Rukawa cried out at the mental image and moved backward as if trying to get away. A few people   
around him looked at him funny. He struggled to catch his breath as images raced through his   
mind, all the missing memories flooding back to him as if it were a river breaking through a dam.   
  
Sharp canine teeth...fangs...stained with blood. Claw-like hands grabbing for him, ripping his   
jacket and shirt off, scratching his chest. Rukawa's torso began to hurt as the memories came to   
him, and he groaned slightly. More people were watching him now, and some were walking   
towards him.   
  
His eyes were wild as he saw the fangs coming towards him, felt someone pull his head to a tilted   
angle, exposing his neck. His breathing was heavy, unable to fully see the people in the club with   
him.  
  
Then, suddenly, they were gone, and the man filled his vision; the red-haired angel. He spoke,   
said something, and suddenly, it was all gone. All memories planted in his mind, but nothing   
more. In a whoosh, the pain in his chest was gone and his breathing normal. He looked around   
with the same calm expression he always had. Not many people were watching him, but those   
that witnessed the ten-second spectacle parted to let him through, throwing him concerned looks.   
  
Rukawa knew what he had to do; the bombardment of memories was triggered by the red-haired   
boy talking with-  
  
"Shit!" He said, stopping halfway there, almost unable to believe his eyes.  
  
There, talking with the red-haired boy, was Kogure, Mitsui, and some girl he had never seen   
before. Maybe one of the three's girlfriend? The thought struck something inside Rukawa. HE   
thought about it for a moment and determined that he didn't care about Mitsui or Kogure having a   
girlfriend (though it had seemed to him in high school they were a couple), but the thought of this   
boy he barely knew having a girlfriend...disturbed him.  
  
He continued making his way towards them, coming in behind the red-haired boy and listening   
quietly as the girl continued her rapid speech.  
  
"And so then he turned to me and said, 'Well, you were always boring to have around anyway,'   
and that's when I slapped him." She finished, taking a quick gulp of air. Mitsui and Kogure   
mumbled something as Mitsui wrapped his arms around the taller boy from behind, placing his   
chin on Kogure's shoulder.   
  
Kogure noticed Rukawa first.  
  
"Rukawa? Rukawa Kaede?" A smile broke out on his face as Mitsui and the girl made eye contact   
with him, and the red-haired boy turned around.   
  
Rukawa swallowed a gasp as the rest of his memories flooded back to him; the way the people   
went flying away from him, the way the red-haired boy had sent a man flying into a wall without   
using his physical body, the way his voice rang clear in his mind, telling him to sleep, to forget.  
  
But mostly, he remembered his name.  
  
"Hi." The red-haired boy smiled. "I'm Sakuragi. Sakuragi Hanamichi."   
  
TBC  
  
  
  



	4. Chapter Four

Black and Red  
A Fic Dedicated to Ming  
Part Four  
By Tsuki  
  
Nothing could have possibly described how he felt at that moment. Were there words to express   
it? Extreme delight, perhaps.   
  
*No,* Sakuragi thought, *not strong enough.* He tried to ponder this for a moment, then decided it   
didn't matter and went back to talking with the four other people around him.  
  
Of course, to him it didn't really matter if three of them disappeared. The Earth could have   
opened up and swallowed them whole and he wouldn't have cared. Right now he was busy   
discreetly watching and picking up on the personality of the dark-haired boy named Rukawa.  
  
His body language spoke volumes more than his mouth ever did. If only humans could read one   
another as well as he could! Maybe it was arrogant of him to think so highly of himself...Or maybe   
it was discriminatory of him to think so lowly of humans...He shrugged lightly, an action that the   
others didn't seem to notice. Whichever, it didn't really matter. He had found him.  
  
Of all the luck! By the Creator! He had run into the boy which had, mere hours ago, consumed his   
thoughts to the point where trying *not* to think about him caused a headache. And now, here he   
was, flesh and blood, standing before him silently, listening to the conversation that went on   
between the small group.   
  
His body language told him what was going on inside him, or partly. Surely his mind would have   
told Sakuragi more, but for once he felt an inhabitation about mind-probing a human. If he was   
going to mind-probe this boy, he would ask first.  
  
Of course, that would mean speaking to him alone. And if he said something like that, he'd have   
to explain who he was. Sakuragi immediatly clamed up at the thought and fell into a silence,   
which resulted in the conversation coming to almost a stand-still.   
  
To be truthful, he had never even thought about letting another person, vampire, human, or   
whatever, know about him. He'd never let anyone in, had kept all people around him at a length   
from him. He didn't trust anyone, thought that if he ever exposed his weaknesses, his heart, to   
any other, they'd turn around and bury a knife in it. But, just thinking about sitting with this boy,   
pouring his heart out to him...the thought sent a warmth through him, the first in a long time.   
  
Rukawa was looking at him now, an odd look in his eyes. And his thoughts bombarded Sakuragi,   
washed over him, demanded to be heard.  
  
God, this boy *projected*. It was rare that any human, or even a vampire had this ability, to send   
their thoughts out towards a psychic. But he did, and powerfully. Sakuragi couldn't fight it, heard   
the thoughts coming from him as clear as day.  
  
*I know you I know you I know you I know you...* Sakuragi felt his eyes widened as they met with   
the icy depths that belonged to Rukawa. *You saved me you saved me you saved me you saved   
me...*   
  
*How does he know?* Sakuragi felt his breath catch in his throat. It wasn't possibly for anyone,   
human or vampire, to get past a memory block. And Sakuragi was among the most powerful, if   
not the most powerful, when it came to mind blocks. Yet this boy knew. He *knew*. It wasn't   
possible! But yet, his voice, his mental, projected voice, kept bombarded Sakuragi, demanding   
him to hear.  
  
*I know you you saved me I know you you saved me...*  
  
Sakuragi smiled easily, his own mind clicking into gear as he discreetly began sending a   
message to Mitsui, Kogure, and the girl to leave. At the same time, he began dropping hints that   
he was getting ready to leave himself.   
  
It worked. Mitsui and Kogure excused themselves, and the girl went off to find a dance partner.   
Sakuragi turned to Rukawa.  
  
"Well, I guess I'm going to go as well." He said casually.  
  
"Hmm..."  
  
"You wanna get a ride home?"  
  
This is the part that Sakuragi had no control over. He didn't *want* to influence Rukawa. He   
wanted him to be willing to go with him, to...  
  
...trust him.  
  
Rukawa shrugged and checked his watch. "Maybe we could go somewhere else. I have some   
company that is moving out of my place, and I want to avoid running into them. I still have four   
hours to kill."  
  
"Company? That you *don't* want to run into?" Sakuragi laughed as he motioned Rukawa to   
follow him. "What'd they do, overstay their welcome?"  
  
"You could say that." He stopped, his voice taking on an almost sarcastic edge. Sakuragi raised   
an eyebrow.   
  
"Care to talk about it? They say that helps."  
  
Rukawa shrugged. "I'm not much for talking."  
  
"I had gathered that much." Sakuragi said lightly as they reached the parking lot, walking through   
the cool, brisk air. "Well, if you want to..." He paused and waited a moment, looking for the subtle   
change in Rukawa's face that would indicate he was getting ready to speak.  
  
Nothing. He remained stony. Sakuragi inhaled deeply and exhaled. Man, this guy *was* quiet. He   
hadn't anticipated this. Oh well.   
  
"So, where do you want to go?"   
  
"Where were you going to go after you dropped me off?"  
  
"Home."  
  
"Then there."  
  
Sakuragi felt a moment of unease; Rukawa would see his home. That was a part of his life that   
he had long ago vowed no one would see. But a moment later he shrugged it away, something   
inside him telling him that *this* boy was different, that he wouldn't betray him.  
  
Maybe it was his attitude. He seemed so aloof, so stony, as if nothing could break him down. The   
way he carried himself, the way he held his face, the way he spoke (when he did), spoke of   
complete and utter calm and control. Like nothing could phase him. As if you could tell him the   
end of the world were coming tomorrow, and he would merely shrug.  
  
Almost without conscious thought his mind reached out and grabbed for that part of Rukawa's   
mind that held what he loved.   
  
And, before he could catch himself and withdraw, an image, a vivid memory, filled his mind's eye.  
  
Rukawa, much younger, but definitely Rukawa, playing basketball in his backyard, moving to   
various positions on the court and shooting, missing almost every time. In frustration, the young   
Rukawa slammed the ball into the ground, pouting. The ball bounced back with a *slap* and hit   
him in the forehead. Rukawa fell backwards and scrapped his elbows, his head hitting the   
pavement.  
  
The pain was almost so vivid that Sakuragi flinched.   
  
The young Rukawa sat up, an amazed look in his eyes, touching the back of his head, feeling to   
see if it was tender. He hand came back with no sign of blood. He checked his elbows, and there   
he found blood. Rukawa looked around, then down at himself, then at the sky. An odd thing   
happened then. He picked up the ball, raised it to the sky, and said, in as loud a voice as   
Sakuragi had ever heard Rukawa use:  
  
"I vow one day to be the best basketball player in all Japan."  
  
The memory faded and Sakuragi looked at Rukawa with a different set of eyes. That memory   
showed, if nothing else, a sense of determination and self-reliance in the boy unlike any Sakuragi   
had ever seen.  
  
*Well,* He thought, parking his compact car in the driveway of his luxurious home, *this boy is just   
full of surprises.*   
  
"Nice house." Rukawa said as they walked in, looking around with his hands in the pockets of his   
jeans. "How do you pay the rent?"  
  
"This was my parent's house before they died. Left it to me. All I pay on it is taxes." Sakuragi   
explained as he lit some of the candles that were found all over the house. Rukawa watched   
curiously. "I try not to use a whole lot of electricity. 'Cept when it comes to my stereo." He nodded   
towards the huge entertainment center, which held only his large stereo and a tiny TV in one   
corner. "Sit. Make yourself comfortable." He finished his tenuous task of lighting the dozens of   
candles in the sitting room and flopped onto a bean bag chair while Rukawa sat down on the   
couch.  
  
A moment of silence filled the room, and Sakuragi, calmed by the mixing smells of some of his   
scented candles, began to relax and closed his eyes.  
  
The sound of movement made him jerk up, and found Rukawa standing over him, his face   
unreadable.  
  
"Look, let's cut whatever crap there is here and get down to it. I know...what happened last night,   
and I think you know that I do. And judging from how hard it was to remember, I don't think I was   
supposed to know. Now, I want some answers. I think I deserve them."  
  
Sakuragi was stunned into silence, partly form his straightforwardness, but mainly from the fact   
that that's the most he's heard him say all night.  
  
Sakuragi smiled easily, feeling for an odd reason relaxed. There was no use in denying it;   
Sakuragi could tell from the set of his jaw that he was determined.   
  
There was something else though...Sakuragi started as he realized he *wanted* Rukawa to know.   
He wanted him to know everything about him. And if he *wanted* to know about Sakuragi...well,   
then, let him know. And to Hell with the consequences. If Rukawa learned about him and stabbed   
him in the back later, well, then, Sakuragi had no one to blame but himself.  
  
Sakuragi motioned towards the couch. "You'd better sit. It's a long story."  
  
"Story?"  
  
"Well, in order to understand last night, you need to know the story."  
  
"Story of what?"  
  
"My life."  
  
  
TBC  
  
  
  
  



	5. Chapter Five

Black and Red  
Dedicated to Ming  
Part Five  
By Tsuki  
  
Rukawa sat quietly on the couch, looking up at Sakuragi expectantly, waiting until the  
taller boy was ready to speak.   
  
Sakuragi seemed to suddenly be having trouble speaking. He kept clearing his throat and  
opening his mouth, but no words came out. He finally sat down in the bean bag chair  
again, hands buried in his hair, breathing deeply.  
  
Rukawa didn't quite know what to do, and reacted with an instinct he didn't know he had.  
He got up and quietly kneeled beside him, a hand rubbing Sakuragi's back. And without  
his conscious thought he was speaking.  
  
"Are you OK?"  
  
Sakuragi looked up at him, eyes searching his, as if the answer lay in Rukawa's face. He  
nodded numbly and wove his fingers together.   
  
"Are you sure you want to talk about this?"  
  
Again, there was silence and Sakuragi shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant as he said,  
"I've just never told anyone this before."  
  
"Well, if you aren't comfortable with it..."  
  
"But you want to know."  
  
"Isn't there a way you could explain what happened to me without telling me about you?"  
Rukawa hated the way it sounded, but he didn't want to force anything out of Sakuragi.  
  
Sakuragi inhaled deeply and stood again, a more determined look on his face this time.  
"Probably, but I need you to know."  
  
Rukawa didn't ask why; he wanted to know as much as Sakuragi wanted to tell. He sat  
down on the couch once more, leaning towards Sakuragi, his eyes glued to the  
brown-silver of the other boy's eyes.  
  
"Well, to start of, I'm not human."  
  
Rukawa merely nodded.  
  
Sakuragi took a deep breath, hardly believing what he was doing, but he continued on.  
  
"My mother wasn't human, nor was my father. My father, I never met. He died before I  
was born for loving my mother. He was a vampire, and was killed by his own kind for  
mating outside his race. My mother was one of the last of her kind, a psychic. No, not  
those people you see on TV that read cards or tell you about your love life or whatever."  
Sakuragi shook his head. "No, my mother was a true psychic. You see, humans use  
maybe 15% of their possible brain power. My mother and her kind had totally control over  
100% of their brain power. Which made them almost a higher species. However, the  
reason there were so few is because humans, who fear what is different, killed them off  
during a popular period in time called the Salem Witch Trials, which took place not only in  
the Americas, but all around the world, only at different points in time." He shook his  
head, his expression one of disgust. "And so my mother's kind is few in number. In fact, I  
have no idea how many are left." He sighed and shook his head. "And my father, like I  
said, was a vampire. They use maybe 25% of their possible brain power, and so can  
sometimes move things with their minds, occasionally make you forget things, and can  
control you...somewhat. It depends on how great your will is."  
  
Rukawa remained quiet, sitting, listening intently.  
  
"So my mother raised me until she died, by the hand of a vampire that discovered her  
identity." A growl formed in his throat. "He tried to kill me, as well. Only by then I had  
developed my powers." He looked at Rukawa, his eyes almost blank. "You see, I'm an  
'inbreed'. My brain power is beyond the possible limits, beyond comprehension. And to  
top that off, I have their strength." He laughed bitterly. "So I can't claim either as my race.  
I'm too strong to be a psychic, but I don't crave blood, so I'm no vampire." He chuckled  
again, shaking his head. "And I'm definitely not human. I can learn more about you than  
you know about yourself in about three seconds and remember it all."   
  
Rukawa raised his eyebrows inquisitively.  
  
Sakuragi understood the motion. "No, I didn't. Not with you." He decided to keep the  
memory a secret. "Though I must say you project very well."  
  
"Project?"  
  
"Project. You send your thoughts out to anyone that can hear them." His eyebrows  
knitted together as a thought hit him. "Which, if what my mother said was true, isn't  
possible in a human." He looked at Rukawa again, then shrugged. "Well, exceptions to the  
rules and all."  
  
"So, I...project...my thoughts..." He touched his head lightly, as if that would somehow  
block his thoughts. "All of them?"  
  
"No." Sakuragi shook his head and brushed some hair from his eyes, falling onto the  
couch beside him. "I can only hear certain ones. In the club, you were telling me that you  
knew me, that I saved you. I heard that. But other than that, no."  
  
"Oh." There was a silence, and Sakuragi felt suddenly better. A weight had been somehow  
lifted from his chest, and he felt...  
  
...Relieved.  
  
"Have you ever...told anyone...this?"  
  
Sakuragi shook his head and looked into the kitchen. "Want a drink?"  
  
"Water's good."  
  
A few noises came from the kitchen, and a second later two glasses filled with water came  
dancing on air to the two boys, stopping in front of them. Sakuragi grabbed his and gulped  
it. Rukawa just stared. He watched his glass sit, motionless, on the air in front of him.  
Then he looked at Sakuragi, who leaned back against the couch.  
  
"You're serious about this, aren't you?"  
  
Sakuragi cocked an eyebrow and the fireplace flared to life.   
  
"You didn't believe me?"  
  
Rukawa looked at the fireplace, a shocked expression registering on his face, then at the  
glass, grabbing it gently and looking at it from almost every possible angle. He tipped the  
glass sideways, and some water spilled out. About three inches from the floor it stopped,  
the water forming a small circle and floating on nothing. Sakuragi tilted his head to the  
side, and the water sailed into the kitchen. A splash was heard as it fell into the sink.  
  
"Not really." Rukawa gulped and took a sip of water. "But I'm beginning to have faith."  
  
Sakuragi smiled slightly. "As for what happened last night, for some reason you stumbled  
into a vampire bar on the wrong side of town. The vamp bar has blood, but they prefer  
their drinks fresh. You were about to buy them all rounds, to use the term 'buy' loosely,  
when I stepped in."  
  
"Why did you?"  
  
Sakuragi looked away. That was one question that he had been asking himself all through  
the day, and he still hadn't come up with an answer.  
  
"To tell you honestly, Rukawa-"  
  
"Call me Kaede."  
  
A silence as they stared at one another. Sakuragi looked at him, marveling, not for the first  
time, at Rukawa's almost feminine face, his soft features, his unruly hair, his icy eyes.   
  
"Well, then, you call me Hanamichi." He said quietly, his gaze roaming over Kaede's  
soft-looking lips.   
  
"OK." Rukawa stared right back, wanting to run his hands through the coppery waves on  
Hanamichi's head.   
  
"To tell you the truth, Kaede..." He caught his breath in his throat as he broke his gaze  
away, knowing that if he watched any longer, he would have kissed the dark haired fox. "I  
don't know why I did. But I stopped them. Then I blocked your memories, and took you  
home."  
  
"How'd you know where I lived?"  
  
"I did a mind probe. I learned your name and address, that's all."  
  
"You know about Kiko."  
  
Sakuragi slid his gaze back over to Rukawa, who had set down his glass, a tiny small  
playing across his lips.  
  
"You know about her."  
  
"Yea..."  
  
Rukawa looked away. "Since you told me about you, perhaps I should return the favor?"  
  
Sakuragi settled back onto the couch, stretching. "Sure. I'm actually dying to know."  
  
TBC   



	6. Chapter Six

Black and Red  
Dedicated to Ming  
Part Six  
By Tsuki  
  
Rukawa was much less reserved or embarrassed about telling his story, and he plunged in   
without hesitation. He spoke as if he were talking about the weather, as if the sad tale he lay out   
before Hanamichi was a picnic in the park.  
  
"My mother was an alcoholic and my father was abusive. They didn't love one another in any   
sense and argued all the time. It wasn't so bad, and after a while it seemed odd when they were   
in the same room and weren't screaming at one another." He shrugged. "At one point, on my   
seventh birthday, my mom and dad began arguing in front of my friends and mom ended up   
punching dad. He landed in my birthday cake." He looked up for a moment, as if his story were   
written in the ceiling. "I remember being upset, but not for a very long time. I became reserved   
and rarely spoke. I suppose because I knew that I wouldn't be heard over the yelling. Or, at least,   
that's what the school's therapist said when my teacher sent me to him. I refused to talk in class   
and "wouldn't interact with other kids." When my mom found out that my teacher sent me to a   
shrink, she was outraged and pulled me out of that school, saying I wasn't a "nut" and didn't need   
anyone evaluating me. I didn't particularly care, and was registered to a new school. When   
middle school rolled around, I began playing on the boy's basketball team, and finally found a   
reason to go to school. Of course, the coach insisted that I keep my grades up, so I was forced to   
wake up and pay attention in class..." He trailed off and Sakuragi knitted his eyebrows together.  
  
"You used to fall asleep in class?"  
  
"Oh, hell yea. I used to fall asleep doing everything. During school, riding my bike home, doing   
homework, watching t.v., exercising..."  
  
"Wasn't that dangerous?"  
  
Rukawa was silent a moment and Sakuragi thought he noted a small tinge in his cheeks.   
"Actually, at one point I nearly suffocated myself bench pressing. I had fallen asleep, and if dad   
hadn't found me, I probably would have died or suffered brain damage." He shrugged. "Oh well."  
  
"So, you fell asleep all the time?"  
  
"Yea."  
  
"Why?"  
  
He exhaled sharply. "There's a lot of theories to that. My shrink at school said it was because I   
was so much smarter than everyone else and sleeping was the only thing that stimulated my   
mind."  
  
"I know that most psychiatrists are called this, but that guy was a quack. A real Loony Tune." He   
seemed to catch the drift in what was coming from his mouth. "No offense, of course!" He said   
quickly, holding up his hands in a gesture of apology. "It's just, that doesn't make in sense."  
  
"No apology necessary. I knew what you meant, and you're right, he was crazy. My mom said I   
was always sleeping because I worked so hard with other things that I wore myself out."  
  
Hanamichi blinked, and before he could speak, Rukawa shot him a wry smile and said, "No, I   
wasn't ever really awake for anything else, either."  
  
"You read my mind."  
  
"I thought that was your job."  
  
Sakuragi smiled slightly and looked over at one of the candles that was dying down. The flame   
flared back to life.   
  
"So, all these people had their theories about why you slept. Did you have one?"  
  
"Yea..."  
  
There was a silence, and Sakuragi shifted to look at Kaede straight in the eye.  
  
"Why, then?"  
  
Rukawa leaned back in his seat and placed a hand on the back of the couch, the other on the   
armrest.   
  
" 'Cause I wanted to."  
  
Sakuragi threw back his head and laughed, his hair flying everywhere only to settle back in it's   
original spot. He laughed until tears rolled from his eyes, and Rukawa looked at him   
questioningly.   
  
"I don't think it was *that* funny..." He said, watching as Hanamichi wiped moisture from his eyes,   
chuckling quietly still.  
  
"Well, I guess it was in the way you said it." Hanamichi looked at him, still smiling that contagious   
smile, running a hand through his silky strands. "You were so serious, as if that were one of the   
most normal answers in the world."  
  
"It isn't?" Rukawa asked innocently.  
  
"Your bull shitting me. You have to know how funny that sounds."  
  
Rukawa took on a thoughtful look, and Hanamichi began to think that perhaps this boy was as   
serious as he had first come off as.  
  
But a slow grin began tugging at Rukawa's lips, and the muscles in the corners of his mouth   
twitched, as if he were trying to keep the smile from forming. Hanamichi crowed and pointed at   
him.   
  
"Ah HA! Knew it! You're pulling my leg!"   
  
"How?" Rukawa blinked his icy eyes innocently. "I'm all the way over here, and your leg is over   
there."  
  
Hanamichi shook his head and sat back, crossing his legs and stretching. "So, is that it?   
Basketball came into your life and suddenly you had a reason to stay awake?"  
  
"Basically." Rukawa shrugged. "I stuck to myself all through high school, and I'm almost done with   
my last year at a two year college, and then I'm probably going to try and make it into a basketball   
league, hopefully in the U.S."  
  
"You really love basketball, don't you?"  
  
Rukawa nodded. "I can't really explain why. It's like, I get out there on the court, and suddenly I   
have a purpose, a goal, and I belong to a fully-functioning, cohesive group that responds to one   
another perfectly, works toward the same common goal, and yet at the same time, you know it's   
just a game and that, even if you lose, there's always going to be another game." He sighed. "It's   
a constant in my life, something to hold on to."  
  
Sakuragi nodded somberly. "I can understand that. It's your security blanket."  
  
Rukawa seemed to turn this idea over in his mind and nodded after a moment. "You're right,   
that's exactly it." He stretched and sighed again, then checked his watch.  
  
"Do you need to get home?" Sakuragi didn't want him to leave. A wave of loneliness swept over   
him, and realized this was the first time in all his memory that he had longed for someone to be   
around him, to talk to.  
  
Rukawa seemed to know this, for he nodded, even though it was late. "Nah. I'll stick around for a   
while." He paused, as if weighing his next words. "It's hard to understand, but I like having you   
around, Hanamichi. It's like, even though I haven't known you that long, I feel as if you're my   
closest friend."  
  
Hanamichi looked at him in amazement, unable to comprehend how he and the dark-haired boy   
beside him could think so alike. It was as if they were on the same wavelength, or as if...  
  
...Kaede could read his mind.  
  
Rukawa stared intently at Hanamichi's face, watching the conflicting emotions crossing over his   
face, reading him, trying to find out what he was thinking.  
  
"What's wrong? What're you thinking?"  
  
Sakuragi returned his gaze to Rukawa. Something in the boy's eyes spoke of unknown secrets of   
a wisdom that no one knew of...probably not even himself.   
  
"Can I...probe you?"  
  
Thoughts flashed through Rukawa. A mind probe? Let this boy learn *everything* about him?   
Share his memories, right down to the embarrassing and cold memories of his childhood, with an   
almost-perfect stranger? The thought left him feeling naked, exposed in a cold world, with nothing   
to anchor him, nothing to comfort him. He felt a rise of panic run through him, but he repressed it,   
as a razor sharp thought cut through him;  
  
So what if he knew?  
  
Rukawa had never cared what others thought of him, so why should he worry of this boy's   
opinion? It shouldn't matter.  
  
But it did. Rukawa had developed a closeness with Hanamichi that couldn't be described in any   
known words in any known languages. Feelings that even he didn't understand coursed through   
him, and he couldn't begin to answer those questions, or the dozen others that popped into his   
mind.  
  
Only one thing was clear; he cared about Sakuragi Hanamichi, and he cared about the opinion he   
had of him. And he wanted him to know all about him, to be as close to Rukawa as he was to   
him.   
  
This thought startled him, and he swallowed, his tongue feeling thick. He glanced at Hanamichi,   
who waited quietly, expectantly.  
  
The human heart works in odd ways; it can latch onto another person so quickly that it's breath-  
taking. And, if that person should ever break away from you, your heart takes on a feeling as if it   
were being ripped from your chest. And yet, at the same time, it can also love another person   
whose hurt you so unconditionally and for the rest of your life. Your heart knows no boundaries,   
cares not for races, colors, gender, or age. All these things were irrelevant to it, and it cared only   
to find another person who could love them back, offer all the love it could give and more, and   
accept it completely.  
  
Rukawa knew all this, and knew that that's exactly what happened with him. He had fallen for   
Sakuragi, and knew that in a few minutes, if he didn't leave and never come back, (which is   
nothing like what his heart wanted), then he would never leave. *Ever.*  
  
Rukawa nodded as Sakuragi moved closer, extending a hand to Rukawa's head, burying it in his   
hair and spreading his fingers across his skull, rubbing gently, as if massaging his scalp. Rukawa   
let out a soft sigh and leaned into his hand, closing his eyes. In a moment, he felt as if his life   
were being played through his eyes, almost too quickly for him to notice, and then a soft voice   
tickling the back of his mind. He couldn't make out the words, and didn't try to. He was floating in   
his own mind, dreaming of placing his lips over Hanamichi's, wondering how it would feel, when a   
warm presence against his temple pushed him back to reality.  
  
Sakuragi looked down at Rukawa as he moved away, his lips removing themselves from   
Rukawa's forehead. Rukawa stared up at the slightly taller boy, then moved forward and touched   
his lips to Sakuragi's.  
  
TBC  
  



	7. Chapter Seven

Black and Red  
Dedicated to Ming  
Part Seven  
By Tsuki  
  
It started out innocent enough. The kiss between them was light and soft, hesitant in a way. But   
one kiss lead to another, to another, and it went on, an endless chain of kisses that intensified   
with each one. They stopped between each to stare at one another, then fell into the kiss as if it   
were the only thing keeping them alive. Rukawa edged closer to Sakuragi and wrapped his arms   
clumsily around the other's shoulders, trying to bring them closer together. Hanamichi giggled into   
the kiss and placed his hands on Rukawa's face, kissing him lightly, teasing his lips with his own,   
running his fingers through Kaede's thick mane of hair. Rukawa tried to press closer, but their   
legs were in the way, and in frustration Rukawa growled and pushed Sakuragi over, straddling   
him and kissing him fiercely.  
  
Sakuragi was surprised by this display of roughness and momentarily did nothing, but eventually,   
after Rukawa's soft lips began tracing a line down his chin, he relaxed and contented himself with   
running his hands along his back, pulling his sweater up, pressing his fingers into the dips that the   
muscles on Rukawa's back formed.   
  
Rukawa was busy nibbling Sakuragi's neck and wasn't very willing to stop, but he did   
momentarily. Only to take off his sweater, though. He then stared down at Sakuragi, a sudden   
lust taking over him. This was the only other person in the world that knew all about him. He   
paused and looked deep into the brown-silver eyes that could pierce his soul. Rukawa   
remembered the mind probe, which had started all of this. He remembered feeling the warmth run   
through him as Sakuragi learned about him. He wanted that feeling back.   
  
Rukawa fixed his gaze on Sakuragi, and knew the other boy knew what he was thinking.   
Hanamichi's mind stretched towards Rukawa's, like fingers, gently running over the top of his   
brain before plunging in.  
  
Kaede gasped as short visions of his life flashed before him, and he sank into Hanamichi's   
embrace, head buried in the crock between Hanamichi's neck and shoulders.   
  
Hanamichi placed one hand on Rukawa's bare shoulder, gently kneading the muscle's, the other   
just above the hem of his pants, resting there.   
  
It lasted for quite some time, and neither boy said anything. Rukawa was too busy floating around   
in his mind before realizing that Sakuragi's mind probe bridged their minds. He could learn about   
Sakuragi, just as he was learning about Kaede.   
  
This thought gave him a hazy feeling, and he gladly dove into Hanamichi's mind, coming up   
against a mental block almost immediately.  
  
*Please* Rukawa thought, his hand running down Sakuragi's chest. *I want to know.*   
  
With much reluctance, the wall crumbled, and Rukawa began to frolic in Hanamichi's mind,   
surprised to find that most of him was as dark as Kaede himself. This didn't effect him much, and   
he began doing the odd thing to do; try to spread color in his mind.  
  
*Such potential.* Rukawa thought giddily, happy for one of the first times in his life.  
  
*I think that's enough.* Sakuragi's voice was laughing as he withdrew, and Rukawa was forced   
out of the dark mind he so wanted to bring color to.  
  
"No." He felt cold and alone without the link between them. "I liked that."  
  
Sakuragi smiled and traced a finger down Rukawa's lips, trailing it down his neck, past his   
muscular chest, to his bellybutton, to his jeans, hooking a finger in one of the belt loops. "I know. I   
could tell. But save something for later, ne?" He playfully touched his lips to his companions.   
Rukawa's eyes fluttered closed and a small sigh escaped him. He wrapped arms around him, not   
understanding why these events felt so right, and at the moment not caring.   
  
  
  
The next morning, cruel sunlight filtered through the blinds, and Rukawa groaned. A shrill noise   
blasted through the room, and an errant arm slapped him in the face as the hand groped around   
on the tabletop, trying to get rid of the noise. Rukawa groaned again and rubbed the bruised   
nose, turning to face a sea of red.   
  
Sakuragi finally got the alarm clock to stop, but only after much fumbling and even more   
swearing. He then resumed his hug hold on Rukawa, smiling and sighing, arms protectively and   
comfortably around Rukawa's waist.  
  
Kaede looked down at Sakuragi, whose face was pressed against Rukawa's hairless chest,   
smiling. It was the sweetest thing he had ever seen, and it made his heart swell.  
  
Some of the events of last night rolled through his mind, and he blushed and grinned like a fool.   
The night had been filled with kisses and embraces, and it had been the greatest night of his life.  
  
A thought struck him, a caused him to pause. He had never thought of himself as gay. Then   
again, he had never really thought about his sexuality. If someone caught his eye, and held it long   
enough, he went after them. It's just that not many people had caught his attention, and those   
scarce few that had turned out to be girls.  
  
He looked down at Sakuragi and smiled again, messing with his hair. *And besides* He thought *I   
have what I want right here.* And it was true. Rukawa hadn't known Sakuragi that long, but these   
last days had been the happiest in his remembered memories. And he wasn't willing to give up   
that source of happiness.  
  
Hanamichi seemed to read his mind, for he stirred and looked up at Rukawa, a smile identical to   
his companion's—lover's—own.   
  
"Hi." Sakuragi was bleary eyed and a little slow-witted, thanks to just waking up, but he managed   
to stretch and groan. "Damn sun."  
  
Rukawa laughed. "I thought that the idea that vampires couldn't go out during the day was a   
myth!"   
  
Sakuragi looked at him seriously. "Yea, it is. But that doesn't mean I *like* the sun."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Well, do *you* like the sun?"  
  
"Not particularly, but it's useful."  
  
"True. But..."  
  
"That doesn't mean you have to like it, I know."   
  
Sakuragi laughed slightly and got up, looking around for something to cover his bare body.   
Rukawa lay there and merely watched, enjoying the view.   
  
That's when a knock came at the door, and a loud, demanding voice yelled through the thick   
door.   
  
"Inbreed, I know you're in there, and I know who's with you! Open the door! NOW!"  
  
TBC  



	8. Chapter Eight

What was odd was not really the words; for some reason they didn't quite hit Hanamichi's mind, didn't ring clear. What was oddest was two things; one, no one knew where he lived except Rukawa and himself. And second was that the presence behind the door was one that radiated a power so strong that it almost knocked Sakuragi to the floor. And he could feel that the person was holding back, letting out just enough of his power to scare Hanamichi.   
  
It worked. Hanamichi was not only scared, he was dumbfounded, rooted to the floor, staring at the door, trying to reach out with his mind and feel for any kind of hint as to who it was.   
  
Nothing. The power it radiated was almost like a shield; it blocked everything from Hanamichi. His mind struck the barrier and for a moment he struggled to knock it down, having gone against beings like this, with a psychic wall around them. Powerful vampires that killed each time they feed and drained their victims dry could become very strong. He'd never found one as strong as him, though.   
  
This one was twice as strong as he was.   
  
Something in his gut clenched, and he saw Rukawa get up, hastily getting dressed and looking at the door warily, eyes guarded, muscles clenched beneath his sinewy skin.   
  
*Wait.* Hanamichi directed the thought to Rukawa, blocking it from any other telepaths. Rukawa looked at him, icy blue eyes flashing. Hanamichi felt his protest welling up within him even before he opened his mouth. Hanamichi shook his head. *See if you can hide in the closet.* Sakuragi nodded towards the closet at the end of the hall. Rukawa planted his feet apart, crossed his arms over his chest, and assumed a very stubborn look. Sakuragi sighed mentally.   
  
*Go!* Sakuragi pointed, glaring at the fox-eyed boy. Rukawa glared back. *Don't you know what's good for you?! If you hide perhaps I can distract them long enough for you to get away.*   
  
Rukawa glared back, his expression never wavering. Sakuragi finally grunted and spun to the door, pushing his frustration from him in a wave of energy that pulsed through the door and hit whatever object was beyond it.   
  
It was heavy, whatever it was. Big, kind of bulky, and mad. Sakuragi expanded his mind to try and get anything from the thing before it could recover its senses.   
  
Sakuragi reeled back as black anger washed through him, directed towards him and wrapping around him, squeezing the air from his lungs. He gasped and stumbled back again, falling against Rukawa, who grunted under his weight.   
  
"No..."   
  
Before he could do anything, though, the door to his home blew inward, and a group of people surged in. Sakuragi, who had been stunned by the psychic blow just a second ago, was easily overwhelmed as a large group of vampires gathered around him and tied his arms behind his back, pushing him to his knees.   
  
Rukawa, however, fought, kicking and punching like a maniac before the sheer brute strength of the vampires overpowered him and knocked him to the floor, pinning him by digging their knees into the small of his back, tying his hands roughly.   
  
Sakuragi, finally recovering, tried to escape from his captors, but a flash of black and then a splash of red ended his struggling. Rukawa could barely make out Sakuragi off to his right, blood pouring from his lower lip, glaring up at the source of the hit.   
  
Rukawa strained his head upward, his neck screaming in pain, and took in the large, burly man in front of him. He wasn't so impressive; just his muscles, which looked as if they were layered on top of one another, his arms and legs threatening to burst forth from the confines of his clothes. His black hair was cropped close to his head, long on top, and curly. His skin was dark, and his eyes were silver-brown, like Sakuragi's. Only, there was no kindness or gentleness in his depths; the crooked tilt of his mouth displayed a cruelty that sent shock waves all throughout Rukawa.   
  
*Akagi.* Hanamichi said to Rukawa. *One of the head honchos of the Vampire-Witch Council. The rumor was, though, that he died in a fire three years ago. Apparently he's been laying low.*   
  
Thanks to their encounter last night, and the many mind probes that they had undergone during that time, Sakuragi didn't have to waste time or psychic energy explaining to Rukawa what the Vampire-Witch Council was. By now Rukawa knew about as much about Sakuragi as he knew about himself. The Vampire-Witch Council had been made to combine the two largest species of non-humans in an allegiance to govern the non-humans and demons. As much as you could govern them, anyway. Most were rebels, though he'd learned of some pretty harsh punishments for breaking the Dark Laws.   
  
One of the biggest laws was not letting humans know about the existence of these non-human beings. And Sakuragi had definitely broken that law. So, Rukawa rationed, they'd sent a powerful council member to deal with one of the most powerful psychics in all of their society.   
  
Rukawa glared.   
  
"Sakuragi Hanamichi." Akagi shook his head, rolling his shoulders and sighing. "You know, son, we had high hopes for you. We were almost certain that you would become one of our best enforcers."   
  
Sakuragi snorted. "This isn't the first time you've asked me, Akagi, and my answer is the same. You know that I've never had any interest in the Vampire-Witch Council or the Dark Laws. I don't bother you, you don't bother me."   
  
"Well, see, under normal circumstances, that would be the case. Such as that display at the bar." He held up his hands, palms facing them. "Now I understand your concern for protecting the secrecy of the bar, and that group was pretty dumb, ready to kill the kid when they easily could have just blocked his memories and knocked him out. Thrown him in a gutter or something." Akagi shook his head. "I commend you on that, a wise move on your part." He clapped a few times before turning serious once more...though Rukawa really couldn't tell the difference between his praising mode and serious mode. "But you couldn't leave it at that, could you? No. You had to find him again, talk to him, let him know about yourself and our world." Akagi glared. "You broke the Dark Laws, and you must be punished."   
  
Sakuragi growled. "I don't go by the Dark Laws, Akagi. The psychics were never part of the society that you listed in your governing laws. I'm only half vampire, and right now you're speaking to my mother's half."   
  
Akagi reeled back and smacked the boy. "Insubordinate hybrid. You're mother always was entirely too stubborn. Powerful, yes. We could have used that. We thought that by killing your father that we could convince her to ally herself with us. But she was willful, independent, and idealistic to a fault. She didn't like how we dealt with certain matters inside our society, so she shunned us and flat-out refused to join us. For that she died."   
  
Hanamichi surged forward, again pushing with his mind to knock Akagi backwards. It worked, at least somewhat, but for some reason Sakuragi looked like he was struggling.   
  
Akagi chuckled, a deep, nasty sound in the back of his throat. "Haven't you figured it out yet? Every vampire in this room is blocking you, cutting you off from using your full power. You're as vulnerable as your little human...shall I say friend?...here." Akagi looked at Rukawa for the first time then, and Rukawa only stared back, something welling up inside him, an unfamiliar urge, sensation, almost a wave of palpable energy that was ready to be set free.   
  
Rukawa didn't have any idea what he was doing, but he felt like he should...concentrate. On that energy. So he did, focusing solely inward, reaching out and grasping the power. Then, with a grunt of pure exertion, he released it, the energy flowing outward and hitting the vampires that held Sakuragi and him. They flew backwards, slamming into the walls and knocking picture frames off their hooks. They were stunned, their concentration broken long enough for Sakuragi to throw the rest of them backwards, levitating Akagi off the floor. The bigger man was gasping and scratching at his throat, as if he couldn't breathe. Sakuragi glared and stood, the binds falling from his wrists like a dead snake, coiling at his feet as he rubbed his offended joints.   
  
"What do you think now, Akagi? Still underestimate me, ne?" Sakuragi growled, and Akagi gasped, his face turning a sickening shade of blue as his eyes bulged. "I could kill you now, but I'm not. You go to your Council and explain about this terrible mistake you just made. How attacking Sakuragi was a bad idea to begin with, and that it was unprecedented."   
  
Akagi gasped. "He's...psychic."   
  
"Of course he is! You think I'd let a human find out about us? I sensed it in him from the beginning, when I saw him at the bar. If I had left him alone for a second longer, he probably would have dealt with the vampires on his own. He's very powerful. But I stopped him to learn more about him, find out which of his parents had psychic blood. I was trying to protect him, Akagi, one of my own kind, from the human world. If I hadn't found him, then he would have grown up and his powers would have been crazy. That burst of energy he used was so uncontrolled and powerful that we were lucky it didn't kill us."   
  
Rukawa could only stare at Sakuragi, having no idea what was going on.   
  
*What is that do'aho talking about?*   
  
"And then, of course, I can always count on the Vampire-Witch Council to interfere where they don't belong. If you had bothered to ask me or even probe the boy, then you would have realized that he is three-quarters psychic. But you're just a grunt, it seems; you get orders, follow them, and ask questions when everything's over and done with, don't you? And as for my mother?" A flash of silver, and Rukawa looked at him. There wasn't a trace of brown in his eyes any longer; the irises were pure silver. He shivered and took a step backward, tripping over an unconscious vampire. "You killed my mother and covered it up, didn't you? Hired a hit man to kill her under the guise that he had discovered what she was, even though you knew all along. And just because she wouldn't ally herself with you." Akagi was thrown against the wall, still conscious and gasping for air. "Get out of here, before I change my mind and kill you." He turned and looked at the vampires scattered around in his hall. As one they flew into the air and out onto the porch.   
  
Akagi stood up and practically ran out of the house, the vampires waking up and following, throwing glances over their shoulders.   
  
Rukawa stood there, staring at Sakuragi's back, not knowing what to do. He had been after him only to be sure he was a psychic? That's what all that had been about? The mind probes, the communication, the sharing of life stories, the...activities of last night. All that had been to make sure he was like Sakuragi? Well, so what if he was? Now what? Would Sakuragi shrug and say "You can leave now?" Or would he not say anything, just wait for him to leave?   
  
Rukawa felt like balloon that had just been popped. And to top all his confusion off, he felt betrayed. Sakuragi had lied to him; whether it had been for his own good or not was beside the point.   
  
At that moment Sakuragi turned and looked at Rukawa, and all his doubts were gone. In his eyes...brown-silver now...was a love that seemed to pour from them and into him, like a warm blanket wrapped around a chilly frame. It enveloped him and made him feel safe.   
It only took Sakuragi three steps to reach Rukawa, and then his arms were around him, his mouth on his, all the while saying with his mind, *I don't believe it, I love you, we did it, I love you, you did it, I love you, this is unbelieveable, Rukawa I love you, have I said that yet?*  
  
Rukawa laughed into the kiss and broke away. "What was all that about, what you were saying to Akagi?"   
  
Sakuragi touched his forehead to Rukawa's, sighing and tightening his arms around Rukawa. Kaede's hands automatically buried themselves into the redhead's hair, stroking the locks into a silky mess. "I had a feeling there was something special about you when I first met you, but I had no idea what. And I couldn't figure it out, either, for the life of me, even after all of our mind probes. I wasn't very concerned with it at the time, mind you, and if I had been solely trying to figure it out, I would have." He shrugged. "It wasn't my top priority at the time." Rukawa flashed a smile. "But then, when you released that burst of energy, it was when I figured it out. Your mother was half psychic, half human, and your father was fully psychic. I thought I recognized him from your memory, but I couldn't have been sure. When you attacked, I remembered where I'd seen him. My mother once told me a powerful psychic tried to court her, but she was in love with my father and refused him. She said he got mad and left, running off with a hybrid...well, her description wasn't flattering. It was mainly because she was a dishonest woman. But anyway, that's not the point. The point is that you belong here. You have every right to know about all this, about everything in my world, because it's your world too." He kissed him again, long, sweet, and meaningful.   
  
Rukawa could feel all the promises behind it, and for the first time in all his life, he felt hope well up in him.   
  
"I think we should leave here. Move, go to a quieter place. How about, say, America?" Sakuragi smiled, and Rukawa smiled back. He would become a basketball player, like he'd always dreamed of, and best of all, he'd be with Sakuragi. The only one he was ever meant to be with.   
  
They sealed it with a kiss.   
  
The End   



End file.
